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WHAT’S IN A NAME ?? PART 2

For the last 3 years Minor League Baseball has held a contest to determine which player has the best name. Past winners include Houston Summers (2007) Will Startup (2008) and Dusty Napoleon (2009). Players vie for the not so coveted Wonderful Terrific Monds III award. Monds was a minor leaguer in the Braves system in the 1990’s, and has set the standard for names in the minors. This season, one of our own was nominated. PawSox right hander T.J. Large was one of the 64 players named in the contest. Unfortunately, T.J., down in Florida on the disabled list, was a sixteenth seed and was understandably eliminated in the first round by Sequoyah Stonecipher. Oddly enough, Stonecipher is facing off against another member of the PawSox in round 2. By the time you read this, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, should be safe and sound at McCoy and in the fold. “Salty” was acquired at the trade deadline, on July 31. Saltalamacchia is a long name (14 letters and the longest last name in baseball history). I don’t necessarily think it has the “oomph” to win it.

Red Sox farmhand Stolmy Pimental is still alive. He’s squaring off against Rowdy Hardy. A 2 seed vs. a 3 seed is hard to pick. It’s the odd American name vs. the foreign name. You can vote at milb.com and there are still some good names alive. Bubbie Buzachero is still in the hunt along with Beamer Weems and Brett Butts. Gift Ngoepe and Shooter Hunt are also viable candidates to take the 2010 crown. I’m a little disappointed that a couple of my favorites were eliminated early. Dale Cornstubble and Al Alburquerque both went out in the first round. At the moment, I’m torn between a couple of really good names and I’m not sure who I will eventually choose. Mark Hamburger or Petey Paramore. As I mentioned, you can vote. There’s a link at pawsox.com, as well.

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Finally paid off half my debt to Torey Lovullo on Saturday. I lost the bet to him for the NBA final series between the Celtics and Lakers. Of course, I had Boston and as a result, I had to wear a hideous yellow Lakers pullover all day Saturday. Starting at 6:00 a.m., travelling from Toledo and all day until after the postgame interview was conducted on the field at McCoy, I wanted to barf. Oh well, ya gotta pay your debts. Now all I have to do is take the skipper out to dinner and we’re all square.

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